A mobile court has sentenced a man to death by hanging for killing a chief in Nimule town, Eastern Equatoria State last month.

Laat Matuach was found guilty of shooting dead, Chief Ebele John while at a fundraising event for a funeral of two victims of a shooting in Mugali Payam, days before.

Two mourners were reportedly wounded during the shooting.

Another culprit, Atit Makuach has been convicted to three years imprisonment for his role during the deadly violence.

Advocate Godfrey Victor Bulla, who represented families of the victims, confirmed the court ruling on Thursday afternoon.

“The court reached the final order, convicting the first accused to death by hanging by the neck until he dies for contravening section 206. The second accused to be sentenced to three years imprisonment from the date of eleventh July Twenty Twenty-Two.”

Lawyer Victor called on the families of the convicts and complainants to desist from any action that might result into violence in the community.

“As you know, Nimule is a very volatile area. We decided to speak to both parties where the accused come from and to the complainants’ side where the chief comes from that anyone responsibility is an individual responsibility.”

He also said the matter was an individual responsibility, and has nothing to do with a community, clan or any particular sect.

“The issue is individual, and the accused will be responsible for the actions they have committed. We call for calm, we call for peace, we call for a continuous cooperation.”

“We call for parties to decease from any action that will cause violence to the community and we warn them whoever takes the law in his or her own hand, the law will not protect them.”

The mobile court was facilitated by Steward Women with funding from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

The convicts’ defense lawyer has fifteen days to make an appeal with regards to the ruling.